LAW N 99/013 OF 22 DECEMBER 1999 TO INSTITUTE THE PETROLEUM CODE The National Assembly deliberated and adopted, the President of the republic hereby enacts the law set out below: * SECTION 1: This law institutes the Petroleum Code. To this end it shall promote Petroleum Operation throughout the national territory; - Lay down conditions for hydrocarbons prospection, exploration, exploitation and transportation; - Lay down the legal, fiscal and customs and exchange schedule of Petroleum Operations, subject to the provisions of section 118 below; - Determinate the right and obligations relating to petroleum operations. SECTION 2: For purposes of this code and its texts of application, the terms herein after shall have the following meaning: - a) Authorizations(s) : any or all of the authorizations granted under this Code; - b) Exploitation Authorization : the authorization for Hydrocarbons Exploitation; - c) Prospection Authorization : the authorization for Hydrocarbons Prospection; - d) Provisional Exploitation Authorization : the Provisional Authorization for Hydrocarbons Exploitation; - e) Exploration Authorization : the Authorization for Hydrocarbons Exploration; - f) Domestic Transportation Authorization : the Authorization for Transportation of Hydrocarbons by pipeline; - g) Concession Contract : Petroleum Contract attached to a Hydrocarbons Exploitation permit and, as the case may be, to one or more Exploitation concessions; - h) Production Sharing Contract : Petroleum Contract whereby the Holder receives compensation in kind by being entitled to a share of production; - i) Petroleum Contract : Concession Contract or Production Sharing Contract entered into between the State and a Holder after the date of promulgation of this Code for the purpose of carrying out, on an exclusive basis, the Exploration and Exploitation of Hydrocarbons within a specified area; - j) Exploitation : operations intended to extract Hydrocarbons for commercial purposes, in particular the development of wells and Hydrocarbons deposits; - k) Hydrocarbons : liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons as found in their natural ~ state, otherwise referred to as crude oil or natural gas as the case may be, as D well as all related products and substances extracted in association with the said Hydrocarbons; - l) Operator : A Petroleum Company which is a Holder or a co-holder, responsible for the conduct and performance of the Petroleum Operations pursuant to the provisions of the Petroleum Contract. The Operator must be able to show a satisfactory record as operator, particularly in areas and under conditions similar to those of the area applied for, with regard to environmental protection; - m) Petroleum Operations : Hydrocarbons Prospection, Exploration, Exploitation, Transportation activities, and storage activities, excluding refining and distribution activities of petroleum products; - n) Prospection : preliminary activities of prospection and detection of possibilities of the existence of Hydrocarbons, particularly through the use of geological, geophysical or geochemical methods, excluding drillings that exceed a depth of three hundred (300) meters; - o) Exploration : detailed Prospection activities including drilling of Exploration wells intended to discover commercial Hydrocarbons deposits, as well as activities of appraisal and delineation and the abandonment of Exploration wells; - p) Petroleum Company : a commercial company or an industrial and commercial public body which has shown evidence that it possesses the necessary technical and financial capabilities to properly carry out Petroleum Operations as well as to protect the environment. This company may be constituted either under the law of Cameroon or under any foreign law. In the latter case, it must throughout the duration of the Petroleum Contract, have a permanent establishment in the Republic of Cameroon, registered on the registry of Commerce, and comply with the legislation and regulation in force on commercial companies; - q) Territory of Cameroon : land and maritime areas as well as the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Republic of Cameroon; - r) Hydrocarbons Mining Title : An Exploration permit or the Hydrocarbons Exploitation concession issued in connection with a Concession Contract;
- s) Holder : A Petroleum Company or a consortium of commercial companies at least of which is a Petroleum Company, bound to the State by a Petroleum Contract. The term Holder also include the co-holders; - t) Transportation : activities of Transportation by pipeline of extracted Hydrocarbons up to the loading points, refinery, or major consumption centers on the Territory of Cameroon, which do not fail within the scope of Law n : 96/14 of 5 August 1996 regulating the transportation of Hydrocarbons via pipeline from third-party, excluding gathering lines from the fields,+ - u) Special Petroleum Operations Zones : portion of the Hydrocarbons g national mining lands on which Exploration and Exploitation operations require + and increased effort, particularly as regards the type of production, the type grade make up of quality of Hydrocarbons, the technics of enhanced recovery utilized he water depth for the deep offshore zones located within the Republic + of Cameroon s exclusive Economic Zone, the type of the terrain, the distance from the means of transportation or the fragility of the environment. SECTION 3: (1) All deposits or natural accumulations of Hydrocarbons located within the soil or sub-soil of the Territory of Cameroon, whether or not discovered, are and shall remain the exclusive property of the State. (2) For purposes of Petroleum Operations, the State exercises sovereign rights over the entire Territory of Cameroon. SECTION 4: (1) Natural persons or legal entities including the owners of the surface area, may only undertake Petroleum Operations, if previously authorized so to do by the State, in a manner which is consistent with the provisions of this Code. (2) Any person who engages in Petroleum Operations may occupy the land necessary for such operations, both within and beyond the area covered by its authorization or Petroleum Contract. The occupational use of such land is subject to the provisions of this Code, its texts of application and the legislation in force relating to land tenure and state lands. (3) In order to have access to the land required for the said Petroleum Operations, the Holder shall apply to the competent authority for a public inquiry into the status of land under the conditions specified in Chapter I of Part IV of this Code. SECTION 5: (1) The State reserves the right to undertake Petroleum Operations ~ either directly or through duly mandated government bodies or units. (2) The State may also authorize commercial companies to carry out + Petroleum Operations in furtherance of a Petroleum Contract entered into between them and the State, in accordance with the provisions of this Code. SECTION 6: (1) The State, either directly or through a duly mandated government body or unit, reserves the right to acquire or have acquired, and interest under any legal form whatsoever, in all part of the Petroleum Operations which are the subject of a Petroleum contract, in accordance with the terms and conditions provided in such Petroleum contract. (2) In the case referred to in subsection (1) above, the state or the duly mandated government body or unit shall have same rights and obligations as the Holder to the extent of its participation in the Petroleum operations under the arrangements specified in the Petroleum Contract. SECTION 7: (1) A Petroleum Contract may only be entered into with a Petroleum company or jointly with several commercial companies at least one of which is a Petroleum Company. The Authorizations derived there from and the Hydrocarbons Mining Titles may be granted only to such companies. A Petroleum Company may be the Holder of several Petroleum Contracts. (2) Several commercial companies, one of which must be a Petroleum Company, may form a joint venture for the purpose of entering into and executing a Petroleum Contract. A Petroleum Company may also form a joint venture with a non-petroleum Company under the conditions set forth by the Petroleum Contract as long as the non-petroleum Company has a minority interest in the consortium which is the Holder of the Petroleum contract, and is not the Operator. (3) Copies of all protocols, contracts or agreements relating to any joint venture, including the appointment of the Petroleum Company which will act as Operator shall be forwarded to the State for information. (4) Activities related to Petroleum Operations are considered commercial transactions. SECTION 8: (1) Subject to any acquired rights, the State may decide after consultation with the relevant government bodies or units, upon the areas to be open to Petroleum Operations for which Petroleum Contracts may be entered into or where applicable, for which Authorizations or Hydrocarbons Mining Titles may be granted. Such areas may be divided into blocks in accordance with the terms and conditions to be laid down by the decree of application of this Code. (2) For reasons of general interest, certain areas may, by regulation, be closed to Petroleum Operations.
SECTION 9: (1) The State addresses offers for Petroleum Contracts and applications for Authorizations at its absolute discretion. Absolute or conditional rejection shall not entitle the applicant to any recourse or to any compensation whatsoever from the State. (2) Subject to any acquired rights, no right of priority may be claimed in case of competing applications or offers received simultaneously. (3) The information which must be contained in offers for Petroleum Contracts and applications for Authorizations, as well as the criteria for their award, and the procedures terms for their renewal, assignment or transfer, shall be laid down by regulation. SECTION 10: (1) The validity of an authorization or a Petroleum Contract over a given area does not preclude the granting to another entity of mining titles for the exploration and exploitation of mineral substances other than Hydrocarbons over all or part of the given area, pursuant to the provisions of applicable legislation and regulation. In like manner, the validity of the mining title for the exploration and exploitation of mineral substances other than Hydrocarbons does not preclude the entering into a Petroleum Contract or of an Authorization over all or part of the area in question. (2) Where rights pertaining to different mineral substances overlap on the same area, the activity of the Holder with the most rights shall be conducted in such a way as not to hinder the activity of the Holder of the most senior rights in point of time. Chapter I Provisions Common to Petroleum Contracts PART II: PETROLEUM CONTRACTS SECTION 11 :( 1) The Petroleum Contract is negotiated and signed on behalf of the State, by the government or any of its bodies or unit duly mandated for such purpose, and by the legal representative of the applicant (s). It becomes effective upon its execution by the parties. However, for a Concession Contract, the corresponding Exploration permit will be granted by decree. The effective date of the Concession Contract shall be deemed to be the date of the grant of the Exploration permit. (2) The Petroleum Contract shall set forth: a) - the area of the Exploration Authorization; b) - the minimum Exploration work programmes and corresponding financial commitments which the Holder undertakes to complete for the initial period of validity of its Exploration authorization and for each renewal period; c)- the duration of the Contract and of the different periods of validity of the Exploration Authorization as well as the conditions for its renewal and extension, including the terms applicable to the reduction of the contract area; d) - obligations relating to a commercial discovery and the development of a commercial field; e) - terms and conditions for the grating of and Exploitation Authorization, its different periods of validity and the conditions for its renewal and extension; f)- the rights and obligations of the contracting parties; g) - the work programmes and budgets and the procedures for supervising their execution; h) - the rights and obligations of the Holder with regard to Transportation of the extracted Hydrocarbons, subject to the applicable regulatory provisions; i) - the rules relating to ownership of the production and its sharing between the contracting parties; j)- the legal regime applicable to property, whether real or personal, necessary to carry out Petroleum Operations, including the terms and conditions for its transfer to the State at the termination and expiration of the Contract; k)- the provisions relating to the participation of the State, or a government body or unit duly mandated for such purpose, in all or part of the Petroleum Operations, as well as the rules governing the joint venture between the State or the government body and its co-holders; l) - obligations relating to the training and employment of Cameroonian human resources; m) - financial clauses, book-keeping and accounting rules specific to Petroleum Operations; n) - the obligations relating to environmental protection, which are in addition to those prescribed by the applicable legislation and regulations; o) - the obligations relating to the abandonment of deposits and of wells which must be met prior to expiration of the Petroleum Contract or Authorization; p) - in the vent the State carries on with Exploitation after termination or expiration of the Petroleum Contract, the basic terms which govern (i) the transfer to the State of the rights and obligations relating to the Exploitation notably the reserve for abandonment of deposits, and the transfer of the service Contracts which bind the Holder to its employees and subcontractors, and (ii) the settlement by the Holder of outstanding liabilities; q) - the terms and conditions for the termination of Petroleum Contract;
r) - the clauses relating to the stabilization of economic and tax provisions which impact the profitability of investments; s) - Cases of force majeure; t) - the procedures for settling disputes, subject to the regulatory provisions in force relating to the settlement of disputes of a technical nature. Chapter II- Types of Petroleum Contracts SECTION 13: (1) The State may enter into Petroleum Contract for the Exploration and the Exploitation of Hydrocarbons such as: a)- Concession Contracts which shall related to the granting of Hydrocarbons Mining Titles consisting of Exploration permits and, where applicable Exploitation concessions; or b) Production Sharing Contracts. (2) Wherever so required, the subject of a Petroleum Contracts may be limited to the Exploitation of one or more Hydrocarbons deposits already discovered and delineated, unrelated to the prior grant of an Exploration Authorization. CONCESSION CONTRACT SECTION 14: (1) A Concession Contract is entered into prior to the granting of a Hydrocarbons Exploration permit. Its sets forth the rights and obligations of the State and Holder during the period of validity of the Exploration permit, in the event of the discovery of a commercial Hydrocarbons field during the period of validity of the Exploitation concession (s) attached thereto. (2) The Holder of the Concession contract shall be responsible for financing the Petroleum Operations and shall, in accordance with the provisions of the Concession Contract, be entitled to the Hydrocarbons extracted during the period of validity of such Contract, subject to the right of the State to collect royalty in kind. PRODUCTION SHARING CONTRACT SECTION 15: (1) In a Production Sharing Contract, the State directly or through a duly mandated public body or unit contracts for the services of a Holder for the purpose of carrying out, on its behalf and in an exclusive manner, within a specified area, Exploration activities and, in the event of a discovery of a commercial Hydrocarbons field, Exploitation activities. The Holder shall be responsible for financing the Petroleum Operations. (2) Petroleum Operations of a Production Sharing Contract shall give rise depending on their nature, to an exclusive authorization for Exploration, or to an exclusive Authorization for Exploitation covering the Exploitation of commercial Hydrocarbons filed. SECTION 16: (1) Under a Production sharing Contract, the Hydrocarbons production shall be shared between the State and the Holder in accordance with the terms of such Contract. The Holder shall receive a share of production as reimbursement for its costs and as compensation in kind, according to the following terms and conditions: a)- As specified in the Petroleum contract, a share of the total Hydrocarbons production shall be allocated to the reimbursement of petroleum costs actually incurred by the holder under the contract for the Petroleum Operations. This share commonly referred to as cost oil, or production for the recovery of costs, may not exceed the percentage of production specified in the Production Sharing contract, which defines the recoverable petroleum costs, special amortization terms for such costs as well as the terms and conditions for their recovery by taking a share for the production; b)- the remainder of the total Hydrocarbons production, after deduction of the share taken pursuant to paragraph a) above, commonly referred to as profit oil or production for compensation shall be shared between the sate and the holder in accordance with the terms set forth in the Petroleum Contract. (2) The Production sharing Contract may also provide for compensation in cash to the Holder rather than compensation in the form of a share of Hydrocarbons production. In such case, the Contract shall be deemed to be a risk services contract. Assignments Chapter III- Assignments and Surrenders of Petroleum Contracts SECTION 17: (1) The rights and obligations under a Petroleum Contract as well as the Exploration Authorization and, where applicable, Provisional Exploitation Authorizations and Exploitation Authorizations deriving from the Petroleum Contract are assignable and transferable in whole or in part, subject to the prior approval of the Minister in charge of Hydrocarbons in accordance with the terms and conditions laid down by regulations in force and by the said contract.
Special conditions for assignment or transfer to an affiliate or between co-holders may also be specified in the Contract. (2) The assignee of a right or an obligation under this chapter must fulfill the conditions provided for in this Code and its texts of application. SECTION 18: The Holder of the Petroleum Contract shall submit to the Minister in charge of Hydrocarbons for approval any draft contract or agreement whereby the Holder promises to entrust assign or transfer, or whereby it entrusts, assigns or transfers, in whole or in part, the rights and obligations resulting from the Petroleum Contract. Any such contract or agreement shall only be entered into subject to the condition precedent of the approval mentioned above. Any instrument executed in breach of the provisions above shall be null and void arid may lead to the forfeiture by the State of the Petroleum Contract, in accordance with the provisions of Section 116 of this Code. SECTION 19: (1) Where a transaction results in a change of control of the Holder Company, the said company shall apply for the approval of the Minister in charge of Hydrocarbons in accordance with the terms and conditions specified by decree. The Minister in charge of Hydrocarbons may oppose it and compel the Holder to cancel such transaction, under the terms and conditions specified by decree of application of this Code and by the Petroleum Contract. (2) A refusal to cancel the transaction may result in the forfeiture of the Mining Title, or the termination by the State of the Petroleum Contract, as provided in the Petroleum Contract. SECTION 20: without prejudice to the provisions of article 7 above where a Petroleum Contract is entered into by several co- Holders, the forfeiture of one or more of them shall not result in the cancellation of the Authorizations deriving from the Contract, or the termination of the Contract, if the remaining co-holder assumes the obligations under the Contract. This forfeiture shall be deemed accepted by the Minister in charge of Hydrocarbons. III Surrenders SECTION 21: (1) The Holder of an Exploration Authorization may relinquish, in whole or in part, its rights over the surface areas covered by its Authorization, provided a two (2) months notice is given to the Minister in charge of Hydrocarbons. The relinquishment shall take effect when accepted by the Minister in charge of Hydrocarbons. This shall result in the cancellation of the Authorization over the area covered by such relinquishment. (2) Except as otherwise provided in the Petroleum Contract, a partial surrender does not affect the Holder s contractual obligations. (3) On a total surrender the Petroleum Contract shall lapse. This surrender shall be effective only where the Holder has fulfilled all the obligations prescribed by the Petroleum Contract and by applicable regulations, particularly those relating to environmental protection, and the abandonment of the wells and deposits and where applicable, when the compensation due to the State and defined in the Petroleum Contract has been paid. SECTION 22: (1) The Holder of an Exploitation Authorization may relinquish in whole or in part, its rights over the surface areas covered by its Authorization, provided a one (1) year notice is given to the Minister in charge of Hydrocarbons and the Holder has fulfilled the obligations prescribed by the Petroleum Contract and by applicable regulations, particularly with regard to environmental protection and the abandonment of wells and deposits. (2) The relinquishment shall only be effective after acceptance by the Minister in charge of Hydrocarbons. PART III AUTHORIZATIONS CHAPTER I: PROSPECTION AUTHORIZATION. SECTION 23 (1) A Prospection Authorization shall apply to areas not covered by a Petroleum Contract and may be granted to a natural person or a legal entity by decision of the Minister in charge of Hydrocarbons, who prescribes its terms. (2) The Prospection Authorization shall confer upon its holder the non-exclusive right to carry out preliminary Prospection Work within a specified area. Such authorization does not constitute a Hydrocarbons Mining Title and is neither assignable nor transferable. (3) The Prospection Authorization does not confer upon its holder any right to obtain a Hydrocarbons Mining Title or to enter into Petroleum Contract. (4) Notwithstanding the above, where exceptional circumstances so warrant, in particular for Special Petroleum Operations Zones, should a Petroleum Contract eventually be entered into covering all or part of the relevant area, the Prospection Authorization may, while valid, confer upon its Holder either a preferential right on equivalent terms and conditions, or an exclusive right of limited duration to enter into a Petroleum Contract for all or part of the area.
(5) The Prospection Authorization is granted subject to third-party rights. (6) Where applicable, the State may also grant Prospection Authorizations for the sole purposes of collecting technical information. SECTION 24: Conditions for obtaining and renewing the Prospection Authorization are determined by regulation. SECTION 25: (1) Several Prospection Authorizations may concurrently be granted for the same area. (2) Without prejudice to the provisions of Section 23 paragraph (4) herein above, the State may also at any time grant a Hydrocarbons Mining Title or enter into a Petroleum Contract for all or part of the area which is the subject of a Prospection Authorization, in which case said Authorization shall lapse ipso jure with regard to the relevant area, such lapse should not entitle the holder to any compensation whatsoever. CHAPTER II: EXPLORATION AND PROVISIONAL EXPLOITATION AUTHORIZATIONS EXPLORATION AUTHORIZATION SECTION 26: The Exploration Authorization attached to a Petroleum Contract may be either a Hydrocarbons Exploration permit in the case of a Concession Contract, or an exclusive Exploration authorization, in the case of a Production sharing contract. SECTION 27: An Exploration Authorization confers upon its holder the exclusive right to carry out, at its risk and expense, all Hydrocarbons Prospection and Exploration work within the limits of the relevant area, and to an indefinite depth except as may be otherwise provided for in the Petroleum Contract. It shall also confer upon its holder the right to dispose of its share of Hydrocarbons which may be extracted during Exploration work and production tests, subject to prior declaration to the Minister in charge of Hydrocarbons. SECTION 28: (1) The Exploration Authorization shall be granted for an initial maximum term of three 93) years. However, where necessary such term shall be extended to five (50 years in the case of Special Petroleum operations Zones. Such Authorization is granted by decree. However, in the case of a Production Sharing Contract, the signature of the Contract by the parties shall constitute the grant of the Exploration Authorization. (2) An Exploration Authorization shall be renewable twice for a period of two (2) years each time. The Holder may file an application for the renewal of an Exploration Authorization, according to the required procedure and in accordance with the terms and conditions for renewal determined by decree and provided the Holder has fulfilled its obligations for the current period of validity. Such renewals are granted by regulation. (3) Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph (5) of this Section, and of 35 and 116 of this Code, the term of the Exploration Authorization, including the term of the two (2) renewals, may not exceed seven (7) years or nine (9) years for Special Petroleum Operations Zones. (4) Upon each renewal, the surface area of the Exploration Authorization shall be reduced in accordance with the terms of the Petroleum contract. (5) The period of validity of the Exploration Authorization may, where necessary, be extended according to the terms and conditions of the Contract, in order to allow: a)- for the completion of Exploration wells in progress or the appraisal and delineation of a Hydrocarbons discovery, particularly in case of a discovery of non-associated natural gas or a discovery located in a special Petroleum Operations Zones, and, b) - the search for markets in case of a discovery of non associated natural gas. SECTION 29: The holder of an Exploration Authorization is required to carry out the minimum Exploration work and expenditure programme specified in the Exploration Authorization and in the Petroleum Contract, during the initial term, where applicable, during each Petroleum Contract. SECTION 30: Should the Holder of an Exploration Authorization not fulfill the work ~ and expenditure obligations referred to in Section 29 above within the given time-limits h and in accordance with the terms of Petroleum Contract, the State may claim from the Holder the payment of a compensation amount equal to the cost of the unfulfilled obligations, under the conditions specified in the Petroleum contract. h
SECTION 31: (1) The Holder of the Exploration Authorization shall notify the Minister in charge of Hydrocarbons as soon as possible of any Hydrocarbons discovery. (2) When such discovery leads to the presumption of the existence of a commercially exploitable deposit, the holder of the Exploration Authorization shall diligently carry out the work required for the appraisal and delineation of such deposit. This appraisal may involve the delineation of the field in question and/or the appraisal of nearby structure and prospects within the contract area. Upon completion of such work, the Holder shall determine whether such a discovery is commercial or not. SECTION 32: (1) The Holder of the Exploration Authorization who has furnished proof of the existence of a commercially exploitable Hydrocarbons deposit in the area covered by its Authorization shall be entitled to apply for the grant of an Exploitation Authorization and must undertake Exploitation activities within a maximum period of three (03) years from the Date of the grant of the Exploitation Authorization. Failure to take action within the time-limit prescribed shall result in the cancellation of the Exploitation Authorization without the Holder having any right to claim any compensation whatsoever. (2) The granting of an Exploitation Authorization shall entail the cancellation of the Exploration Authorization inside the Exploitation area, but allows said Authorization to remain valid outside such area up until its expiration date, without amending the minimum Exploration work programme undertaken by the Holder. SECTION 33: When an Exploration Authorization is due renewal or final expiration before a decision on a properly filed application by the Holder for an extension or renewal or for an Exploitation authorization is made, the Holder of the Exploration Authorization shall remain solely authorized to continue Exploration work within the limits of the area (s) covered by its application. SECTION 34: Upon total or partial expiration of an Exploration Authorization, either at the end of each period of validity or in the case of surrender or cancellation, the Holder must carry out at its own expense, the abandonment of fields and wells as well as environmental protection operations prescribed by applicable law regulation as well as by the Petroleum Contract. The Holder shall provide the State with all petroleum information and technical data in its possession relating to the area surrendered. II PROVISIONAL EXPLOITATION AUTHORIZATION SECTION 35: (1) During the validity of an Exploration Authorization, the Holder may apply for the grant of a Provisional Exploitation Authorization by regulation. The grant of a Provisional Exploitation authorization allows the Exploration Authorization to remain valid, but does not prolong its period of validity. (2) The Provisional Exploitation Authorization confers upon its holder the right to operate productive wells on a provisional basis for a maximum period of two (2) years during which the Holder shall be required to carry out the appraisal and delineation of the relevant deposit, in accordance with the provisions of Section 28 above and the terms of the Petroleum Contract. (3) The Provisional Exploitation Authorization may be forfeited by the same procedure in the event of non-compliance with the provisions of Section 29 and 30 above. Such Authorization shall lapse with the expiration of the Exploration Authorization for the specified area for any reason whatsoever, unless an application in proper from for an Exploitation Authorization is filed within the time limit. (4) The application procedures and the conditions for the filing of an application for a Provisional Exploitation Authorization, its extension to new wells and its forfeiture shall be laid down by the decree of application of this Code. CHAPTER III- EXPLOITATION AUTHORIZATIONS SECTION 36: An Exploitation Authorization, attached to a Petroleum Contract, may be either an Exploitation concession in the case of a Concession Contract, or an exclusive Exploitation authorization in the case of a Production Sharing Contract. SECTION 37: (1) The Exploitation Authorization covers the surface projection of a commercial Hydrocarbons deposit. It confers upon its Holder the exclusive right to carry out, at its own risk and expense, all Petroleum Operations within the limits of the pertinent area and to indefinite depth, as well as the right to dispose of all or part of the Hydrocarbons production, in accordance with the provisions of the petroleum Contract. (2) The granting of an Exploitation Authorization shall under no circumstances confer ownership of the deposits, it creates a right of limit duration ~ which is not mortgaageable and which is distinct from the ownership of the surface area, said right is assignable and transferable under the conditions provided in Section 39 of this Code.
SECTION 38: (1) The initial term of the Exploitation Authorization shall not exceed twenty-five (25) years for liquid Hydrocarbons and thirty-five (35) years for gaseous Hydrocarbons. (2) The Exploitation Authorization may be renewed once on application by the Holder for a maximum additional term of ten (10) years, according to the procedures provided in Section 41 below and pursuant to applicable legislation and regulations. To be so entitled the Holder must have fulfilled its obligations and shown evidence of the possibility of continuing commercial production of Hydrocarbons beyond the current period of validity. The conditions for such renewal may be subject to renegotiation of the terms of the Petroleum Contract. SECTION 39: Only the Holder of a currently valid Exploration authorization may obtain an Exploitation Authorization within the area covered by the said Exploration Authorization. SECTION 40: The Holder of an Exploration Authorization, who provides proof of the existence of a commercially exploitable Hydrocarbons deposit within its contract area, may proceed with the exploitation of the deposit in accordance with the terms and conditions laid down by this Code and its decree of application. SECTION 41: The Exploitation Authorization is granted by decree, which shall specify its duration and the delineation of the Exploitation area. SECTION 42: The extent of the Exploitation area is limited to the surface area determined by vertical lines based on the area defined on the surface, unless otherwise provided by the Petroleum Contract. Moreover, the Exploitation area shall be delineated in such a way as to include the surface area of the deposit over which the Holder holds rights. SECTION 43: Except in the case of force majeure, should the work on the deposit covered by the Exploitation Authorization not be diligently carried out, or should the Exploitation be suspended for more than six (6) months, the forfeiture of the Exploitation Authorization may be ordered by regulation, after a three (3) month notice of non-compliance has been served. SECTION 44: (1) Before the expiration of the Exploitation Authorization either at the end of its normal term or in the event of surrender or forfeiture, the Holder shall, unless otherwise decided by the Minister in charge of Hydrocarbons, carry out at its own expense operations for the abandonment of the deposit as laid down applicable legislation and regulations as well as by the Petroleum Contract. (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding paragraph, and should the State wish to carry on with the Exploitation operations, the facilities, materials and lands related to the Exploitation Authorization which are required to carry on the Exploitation shall, at the request of the Minister in charge of Hydrocarbons, be transferred to the state, without compensation to the Holder, subject to the provisions of Section 12 p) herein above. (3) Incorporation into the private land of the State of the portions of the national territory relating to the said transfer shall be done by regulation. The assignment of leases on private land belonging to individuals and deemed necessary in order for the State to continue Exploitation, shall be done by decree. CHAPTER IV- DOMESTIC TRANSPORTATION AUTHORIZATION SECTION 45: (1) A Domestic Transportation Authorization shall be granted by decree upon an application by a Holder during the term of a valid Petroleum Contract, under the conditions set out in this part. (2) Within the territory of Cameroon a Domestic Transportation Authorization confers upon its Holder the right to transport, using its facilities as well as those belonging to a third party, while maintaining ownership rights, the products of Exploitation activities or its share thereof to major centers of consumption, collection processing, storage or loading. SECTION 46: (1) The Domestic Transportation Authorization is inclusive of the approval of the construction plan for pipelines and facilities to be annexed to the application. The content of said plan is specified in decree of application of this Code. (2) The occupation of the land and the declaration as public utility required for pipelines and facilities shall be carried out under the terms and condition prescribed in part VIII of this Code. SECTION 47: (1) The Transportation rights referred to in Section 45 above and the Domestic Transportation Authorization may be transferred to third parties, individually or jointly, by holder and under the conditions laid down by applicable regulations and by the Petroleum Contract, subject to the prior of the Minister in charge of hydrocarbons.
(2) For the construction and use of the relevant pipelines and other facilities, beneficiaries of the above-mentioned transfers shall fulfill the conditions laid down by this Code and its texts of application as well as the special conditions specified in the Petroleum Contract. SECTION 48: (1) Several Holders may jointly carry out the Transportation of products extracted from their Exploitations. They may also join with qualified third parties and the State, either directly or through the intermediary of a duly mandated government body or unit for the construction and use of pipelines and facilities. (2) All protocols, agreements or contracts entered into between the relevant parties shall be subject to the prior approval of the Minister in charge of Hydrocarbons. SECTION 49: (1) The layout and specifications of the pipelines and other facilities shall be drawn up in a way as to unsure the gathering, Transportation and removal of the products extracted from the Hydrocarbons deposits are carried out under the best technical, economical and environmental conditions. (2) To this end, in the case of more than one Hydrocarbons discovery in the same geographical area, the Holders of the beneficiaries of the transfer referred to in Section 47 above, may join for the purpose of joint construction or use of pipelines and facilities for the removal of all or part of the production from these discoveries. SECTION 50: Except in the case of force majeure, this Domestic Transportation Authorization shall lapse if the Holder or the beneficiary of the transfers referred to in Section 47of this Code has not commenced or caused to be commenced the projected work within one (1) year following approval of the project work. SECTION 51: (1) The Holder of a Domestic Transportation Authorization shall give priority to the transportation of the products of the Exploitation for which such Authorization is granted. (2) However and without prejudice to the preferential treatment granted to the hydrocarbons referred to in the above paragraph, the Holder may be required by regulation, within the limits of and for as long as it has excess capacity, to allocate any unused Transportation capacity to the carrying of products originating from Exploitations other than the one for which the Authorization is granted. Where the Holder is required to allocate transportation capacity to a business other than his, the latter shall, as a set off be obligated to pay for its use. (3) Such products shall not be subjected to discriminatory treatment in transportation tariffs under comparable quality, consistency and output conditions. (4) Any objections to the application of the provisions above shall, in default of an amicable settlement, be resolved by an international expert determination in accordance with the provisions of the decree of application of this Code on the settlement of disputes of a technical nature. (5) The terms and conditions for the determination of transportation tariffs are defined I the texts of application of this Code and in the Petroleum Contracts. SECTION 52: This part does not apply to pipelines and facilities built within the area covered by the Exploitation authorization or the needs of such area. PART IV RELATIONSHIP WITH LAND OWNERS CHAPTER I OCCUPATION OF LAND ALLOCATED FOR PETROLEUM OPERATIONS SECTION 53: For the grant of the right to use the land referred to in Section 4 above, the Holder of an Authorization or a Petroleum contract shall submit to the competent administrative authorities a land enquiry file, the contents of which is detailed by decree. The objectives of such land inquiry are: a)- to identify the status of the land covered by the Authorization or the Petroleum Contract; b) - to make a listing of the Holders of land property rights; c) - to inform the persons referred to in paragraph b) above of the terms for compensation on loss of their rights; d) - to sensitize the populations on the Petroleum Operations. SECTION 54: (1) From the findings of the land inquiry, the Holder of an Authorization or a Petroleum Contract shall submit to the competent authorities the required applications for certificated land occupancy, in accordance with the legislation in force relating to land tenure and state lands as well as the decree of application of this Code.
(2) Authorizations for land occupancy shall be granted to the applicant where necessary to carry out Petroleum Operations and where the applicant has fulfilled the conditions laid down by the legislation and regulations in force. In other cases, Authorizations for land occupancy may be denied. (3) When an application relates to national land, private or public State land, authorizations for land occupancy shall be granted by decree in accordance with the legislation in force relating to land tenure and state lands. (4) When the occupancy relates to private land (natural persons or legal entities), the Minister in charge of Hydrocarbons may request the Minister in charge of national lands or an expropriation in view of acquiring the said land to be placed at the disposal of the Holder in accordance with the procedure spelt out above. SECTION 55: (1) The Minister in charge of hydrocarbons may request the Minister in charge of lands depending on the legal status of the relevant lands, classification as public land, incorporation into the private land of the State, or expropriation as public utility as follows: a) - either to be occupied for purposes of construction, use and maintenance of the Hydrocarbons Transportation system, or b) To delimit the land to be covered by the protected areas previously specified by the Minister in charge of hydrocarbons indicating the areas within which Petroleum Operations shall be subject to certain conditions or prohibitions without giving rise to a claim for compensation in favor of the Holder of an Authorization or a Petroleum Contract. The purpose of creating protected areas is to preserve buildings, customs, human settlements, springs, access roads, works of art and woks of public utility or considered necessary for public interest. (2) The cost of vacating and making available the land referred to in Section 54 above and in this Section (1), shall be borne by the holder who acquires the use of the land. SECTION 56: The decree referred to in Section 54 (3) above may also authorize the Holder of an Authorization or a Petroleum Contract: - To cut trees whenever necessary within the area of land use for its Petroleum Operations, against payment of duties, taxes and rental fees due under the legislation in force, to use waterfalls and springs which are neither exploited nor reserved, for the purposes of its Petroleum Operations; - To carry out the wok necessary for its Petroleum Operations within and outside of the area covered by its Authorization or the Petroleum Contract, and the related works referred to in Section 57 herein below. SECTION 57: The following activities and work listed herein below shall be considered an integral part of Petroleum Operations: - The building and the use of generators, stations and electrical lines; - Telecommunications systems; - First-aid facilities; - The storage and warehousing of materials, equipment, products and waste, as well as facilities intended for ballasting and for the elimination of pollution; - Constructions intended for accommodation, entertainment, hygiene, care and training of personnel; - The construction or improvement of means of access, in particular roads, bridges, railroads, drains, canals, river or maritime ports, and landing fields; - The setting up of reference and boundary marks for the area of land use. SECTION 58: The projects facilities referred to in Sections 56 and 57 above may, if applicable, be declared to be for public utility within the conditions provided for by the law and regulations in force, and the holder of an Authorization or a Petroleum Contract shall not be discharged of special or supplementary obligations which may be imposed upon him. SECTION 59: The Holder of an Authorization or a Petroleum Contract shall bears the expenses, compensation and generally all costs resulting from the application of Section 53 to 58 above. SECTION 60: (1) Telecommunications facilities, electrical lines, water conveyances, medical, educational, sports or recreational infrastructures constructed by the Holder of an Authorization or a Petroleum Contract may provided it does not impede use of the facility and upon payment of compensation be utilized when needed by neighboring institutions who have requested it. They may be opened to the public at large. General conditions for use and the amount of the compensation shall be determined by the Minister in charge for Hydrocarbons with the concurrence of the Holder. The compensation shall cover among other things the cost of the capital invested, as equity or from borrowed funds.
(2) Where the Holder shall open the infrastructure referred to above to use by third parties the latter shall in counterpart be required to pay for their use. Section 61: The holder of and Authorization or a Petroleum Contract shall repair any damages caused by its Petroleum Operation to the land used; it shall be liable in such case to pay a compensation amount commensurate to the damage caused, to be determinate by mutual agreement between the parties concerned or, in default by the competent court. Claims for compensation shall be filed not later than one (1) year from the date the events causing the damages case to exist. Section 62: (1) Without prejudice to any applicable sanctions from a criminal liability standpoint, the holder of an Authorization or a Petroleum Contract to cause who cause any physical or material damage to activities or facilities located within or outside of the contract area shall, without the need to show fault, be liable in tort for any damage to the environment, when such damage is related directly or indirectly, to the carrying out of Petroleum Operation, and whether such damage is caused by the actions of the holder or its subcontractors. In the absence of reparation, the compensation must correspond to the value of the damage caused. (2) When it is not a Holder, the State shall incur no direct or indirect liability vis-à-vis third parties for any damages resulting from the performing of the Petroleum Operation by the Holder. (3) For the implementation of the provision of this section the terms and conditions for guaranties and assurance policies which the Holder has the obligation to obtain for the benefit of the state third parties, the public and the environment shall be spelt out on the Petroleum Contract. CHAPTER II OCCUPATION OF LAND ALLOCATED FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF HYDROCARBONS Section 63: From the findings of the land inquiry referred to in Section 53 above, the State may decide to set aside land to be part of the land parcels use area for purposes of construction, use and maintenance of the Hydrocarbons Transportation system. For these reasons and in accordance with the provisions of the legislation relating to land tenure arid state lands, the State may incorporate such land parcels into its private or public property, or allow an expropriation procedure for public use. (2) The Holder of the Domestic Transportation Authorization shall be given notice of the actions taken by the State and shall take into account the areas so set aside while continuing to carry on its Petroleum Operations. Section 64 : (1) The decree granting the land use shall temporarily allocate the relevant area to the construction, use and maintenance of the Hydrocarbons Transportation system and shall confer upon the Holder of the Domestic Transportation Authorization the land rights referred to in Section 65 below. This decree will spell out the time limit within which the holder of the Domestic Transportation Authorization is required to communicate to the Minister of Hydrocarbons the coordinates of the land areas constituting the area expropriated for the Hydrocarbons Transportation system. (2) In order to create the expropriated area for Hydrocarbons Transportations system, the decree shall be amended to preserve the lands for the use and maintenance of the Hydrocarbons Transportation system, in accordance with the legislation relating to land tenure and state lands. The amended decree shall limit the rights of the holder of the Domestic Transportation Authorization in the portion of the land area not included in land expropriated for the Hydrocarbons Transportation system, and shall encumber it with easements of use for the benefit of maintenance work involving excavation. (3) The lands constituting the area of land use are and shall remain the private property of the State. They shall in no event be disposed of during the term of the Petroleum Contract, nor become the property of the older of the Domestic Transportation Authorization. However, when the pipelines and other facilities referred to in Section 46 above, hinder the normal use of the lands, and when the owner so requests, the State shall, at the expense of the Holder, expropriate the relevant lands and grant necessary leases to the said Holder, in accordance with legislation relating to land tenure and state lands. (4) Upon completion of the construction work for the Hydrocarbons Transportation system, the lands situated within the area of land use may be allocated to other usages, subject to the protected areas referred to in Section 55 (1) b) above, provided however that such use shall not impede nor create an obstacle to the proper functioning and maintenance of the Hydrocarbons Transportation system.